The present invention relates to an apparatus for installing and/or removing flow valves and the like in a selected mandrel in a well tubing having a plurality of tubing mandrels vertically spaced therein and including means for orientating the valve handling apparatus with the valve seat in the offset pocket of the mandrel.
Generally, it is old as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,608 to provide a valve handling apparatus which is adapted to install or remove a flow valve in a well tubing having a plurality of vertically positioned tubing mandrels. A tubing mandrel includes a main bore therethrough in line with the bore of the well tubing and a side pocket offset from the main bore having a valve seat therein. In addition, it is old, as shown by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,942,671, 2,988,146; and 2,948,341 to provide an orientation sleeve in the main bore for angularly positioning the valve handling apparatus relative to the side pocket for directing the valve handling apparatus into the offset pocket. The present invention is directed to improvements in apparatus for installing and removing flow valves which are oriented for directing the valve handling support into the side pocket of the mandrel and in which the installing or removing operation may be selectively provided in any of the desired vertically spaced mandrels in which all the vertically aligned tubing mandrels are alike in structure thereby providing a simplification in manufacture, in stocking of the equipment, and a simplification in operation.